The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 143

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 143

As we uncovered increasingly important information, the danger grew. The places where we could have secret conversations also had to evolve.

So now we had to resort to using Ruellian’s home, the Lacroix Ducal Residence.

Since we had already discussed that much last time, it wasn’t surprising that he suggested going to his house.

But the method was surprising.

‘This isn’t the picture I expected?’

I thought while glancing at Ruellian.

He was famous for not letting guests into his home. So I thought it would be like before, where he would send a secret signal through a Holy Knight and I would sneak over.

Wearing something like angel’s rags to avoid people’s eyes.

But that wasn’t it.

“Let’s go, Princess.”

He just openly took me with him.

What could anyone do if I said I had business and was taking the Princess with me? What’s the problem with the direction being toward our house?

It was such an arrogant attitude.

Rather, because he was so boldly confident, no one seemed to think we were going to have a secret meeting.

‘This is also a new method.’

I walked with him while thinking such thoughts.

Because the roads were controlled due to the Imperial Tournament, there were difficulties in traveling by carriage in the Capital City Center.

But since the mansions of great noble families were all in the central district anyway, it was quick even on foot.

We soon arrived at the Lacroix Ducal Residence.

When I peered into Ruellian’s nightmares through the dragon scales, I had roughly seen what the ducal residence looked like.

So I thought it wouldn’t be completely unfamiliar…

After seeing it in person, I unconsciously stopped walking.

A mansion standing alone in a dark area on a street filled with sparkling lanterns for the festival.

A well-maintained building that felt antique, as if it were hundreds of years old, befitting a ducal residence.

The exterior itself was exactly the same as what I had seen in the nightmare.

But even so, it looked very different.

‘…I see.’

Only then did I realize.

Since the previous Duke and his wife were tragically murdered, the ducal residence couldn’t look the same as before.

The building was the same, but the walls had become much higher with sharp iron bars surrounding the top.

Also, at every corner of the building, cloaked figures stood quietly. They seemed to be either Holy Knights or Lacroix Ducal Residence Guards.

Because of the festive atmosphere filling the streets, the gloomy intimidating presence of that place came across even more distinctly.

‘It’s like an impregnable fortress.’

A fortress surrounded on all sides by water, accessible only when the chained drawbridge was lowered.

Even though it was clearly a mansion in the commercial district, it felt that way.

It was different from the Holy Order where people seeking him constantly swarmed, and different from the secret base in the port town guarded by those who respected yet feared him.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve now visited all three of Ruellian’s strongholds.’

With such thoughts, I went inside.

The interior was exactly as I had imagined.

You’d expect a young duke’s house to be very luxurious and splendid, but this house seemed like it hadn’t changed a single piece of interior decoration since about 20 years ago.

And most importantly…

‘They’re all men!’

I looked around.

Perhaps because he followed the rule that the Agent of the Divine must be pure too strictly.

There wasn’t a single woman among the employees. They were all men.

‘Am I the only woman here?’

Thinking that it had probably been an incredibly long time since a dress hem had brushed this corridor I was walking through made me feel strange.

Still, perhaps because he had given advance notice, the employees greeted me calmly without batting an eye.

“It’s quiet now that I’m home.”

Ruellian said this while removing his elaborate outer garment and handing it to an employee.

He also removed the decorative feathers and various complex ornaments attached to his clothes with simple movements, becoming relatively comfortable in just a shirt.

“…”

Had I just said the employees were calm?

Seeing their master casually remove his outer clothes in front of an outside woman, they froze like stones.

The person in question seemed unaware of it though.

‘Of course. He even showed me his back, so what embarrassment would he feel?’

The employees who didn’t know the situation were dazed for a moment before barely coming to their senses and asking.

“Shall I prepare tea?”

“No need.”

He waved his hand in refusal and then opened the magnificent door across the corridor.

“Princess, come in.”

“Yes.”

We’ll be leaving soon anyway.

I winked at the employees with that meaning and followed him inside.

It was a study.

It looked like it was filled with ordinary books.

But to my eyes that could see holy marks, I could clearly see that each book contained a unique pattern.

Ruellian looked around the bookshelf and said.

“There’s probably no place safer than here. There’s also soundproofing magic that prevents sounds from inside from leaking out, so we can talk freely.”

“That’s good.”

We sat across from each other with a small round table between us. He spoke first.

“I thought I was going to faint earlier when I saw Princess Violet’s stealth technique at the Order. Thanks to you drawing attention, it seems we got through safely without Zikren or others noticing. I was so grateful.”

“Don’t mention it. Did you keep the Princess’s mouth shut properly?”

“I managed to handle it roughly. Since we’ll continue meeting because of her divine power, I think I can control that side reasonably well. But there’s a problem…”

His face became serious.

I became serious too. The festival atmosphere that had remained very small in a corner of my mind until then completely disappeared.

“What is it?”

“I said I would continue investigating information about that Mysterious Figure, right? Because Sion and that person kept changing codes, it was indeed complex. But since I have the means of the Master Guild that Sion couldn’t even imagine, I stubbornly continued tracking.”

Ruellian continued speaking calmly.

“After mobilizing maximum personnel for the search, I finally obtained testimony of witnessing an unidentified person in the vicinity during the period when they used a particular code. As a result, I succeeded in finding a cave in a mountain within the capital. There were indeed traces of someone having stayed there at one time…”

He got up, opened a desk drawer, and took out a box. Then he brought it in front of me and opened it.

“Do you know what this is?”

My eyes widened involuntarily.

What was in the box was a petal. A single ice-like translucent petal.

I had forgotten about it for a while, but it was a very familiar sight.

“It’s an amaranchia flower.”

“Right.”

Ruellian closed the box again.

“There were traces of the Murderer collecting and researching this flower there.”

“Why would they research it?”

“I don’t know.”

His face became even more serious.

“But what’s important is that this is the highest quality amaranchia flower that only grows in our Order’s flower garden. As far as I know, you’re the only person who was caught stealing it…”

I exclaimed in surprise.

“It wasn’t me! There’s no way I would manipulate Sion to harm myself.”

“I know. I know it wasn’t you, but then who could it be? It was so strange that as I pondered it, I suddenly remembered. One outsider who could have easily obtained amaranchia cultivated by our Order.”

“Who is that?”

“You know them too.”

Ruellian said.

“Think about it carefully. What was the reason you originally snuck into the sanctuary and stole that flower? Because someone said it was needed.”

That’s right. Someone had said it.

“Last night during my prayers, I suddenly received a revelation. The late Emperor’s coffin must be richly decorated with amaranthia flowers for peace to come to the Empire.”

I was utterly shocked.

“The Empress?”

“That’s right.”

Ruellian nodded.

“Everyone thought what the Empress said back then was a lie. That she was making excuses for the Crown Princess selection. But what if it wasn’t even that? What if the Empress had a reason she absolutely had to collect those flowers?”

The more I heard, the more I couldn’t help but be horrified. This was definitely a story that could never be discussed outside.

I muttered blankly.

“Could the Empress be the Mysterious Figure?”

“It’s still baseless speculation.”

Ruellian replied.

“But it is strange. According to our speculation, the Mysterious Figure was likely an important person, right? Think about the information he gave Sion. ‘Princess Violet will give you the task of retrieving Windfearer. The clue to finding that sword lies with Theseus Marquis.’ If it’s the Empress, she would naturally know such information.”

“No way, no way…”

I couldn’t close my mouth.

But then.

“Um…”

A very cautious voice came from outside.

Gasp.

I was so startled my heart nearly dropped. Ruellian angrily shot to his feet.

“How dare you interrupt!”

“Well, a visitor has come, and you really need to see them…”

The person who seemed to be a butler said with great difficulty.

Who could it be?

Ruellian walked over and opened the door.

A Palace Attendant wearing a golden hat was standing there. He also had a very troubled expression.

“I’m truly sorry, but Her Majesty said you left too hastily earlier and she couldn’t finish speaking with you, so she insisted I bring you back…”

“Who?”

A certain person flashed through my mind.

Ruellian seemed to have the same premonition.

“Don’t tell me the Empress?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

The attendant looked up in surprise. Only then did he notice there was another person in the study and was even more shocked.

“What a coincidence! Young Lady of House of Rosen, you were here too? I actually went to the Rosen Duchy first but came up empty…”

“What?”

I doubted my ears.

“The Empress called for me too?”

“Yes. She told me to bring both of you.”

What?

The attendant’s words sent chills down my spine.

Now that we’d discovered the secret about the Empress, she was calling for us as if she’d been waiting? Not just anyone else, but specifically picking out just the two of us?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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